Need a face to put to the controversy? Use mine...

New guidelines about women in their 40s receiving mammograms from the US Preventive Services Taskforce this week already had me up in arms. The more I read about their findings and their reasoning behind the guidelines, the madder I got.

Then I got the call this week. The mammogram I just had, revealed a lump.

This brought the controversy right to my doorstep as a women in her 40s.

Taskforce representatives have said that "mammograms only reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by up to 20%." SOOOOO???? Sorry you've deemed saving those 20% of women in their 40s just isn't worth it. If you are in that 20% and don't have a mammogram, that can = DEATH. When death is the option, 20% sounds pretty high to me. We aren't talking 1 or 2%, but 20%. So I feel those mammograms would be saving a hell of a lot of women in this country who are in their 40s like me.

Taskforce representative have also said "mammograms are unnecessary because many times they have false-positive results, causing anxiety and needless biopsies". Like I said I am there right now. Yes this might be a false-positive and yes it is causing me anxiety and perhaps it will lead to a needless biopsy. However I think most women in their 40s will agree with me when I say I will gladly accept that trade-off of anxiety caused by a false-positive reading and perhaps a needless biopsy in exchange for the possibility of cancer being found early and while still treatable.

Most big insurance companies for now are saying they will continue to cover mammograms for women in their 40s. However you can bet all the stimulus money you received that there is a good chance they may change their minds after the Health Care bill passes (I hate it, but I have become resigned to the fact that this horrible Health Care bill will pass).

Perhaps I am wrong and insurance companies do continue to cover mammograms for women in their 40s? This Taskforce's findings will still result in a ton less women in their 40s getting mammograms and possibly dying from breast cancer. I know so many women who didn't get mammograms for years out of fear and only after loved ones hounding them, did they acquiesce. Now those with fears will instantly latch on to this study and use it as the excuse they wanted to not get a mammogram, even if they really should be getting one.

So when you are reading and discussing the pros and cons of these guidelines, please feel free to personalize it and put my face to the cause. I am a women in her 40s who had a mammogram that revealed a lump and regardless of the anxiety, possible unneeded testing, etc I am still extremely glad that I had my mammogram and will fight for that right for my fellow women in their 40s and myself.